Apparatus for distillation of coal.



J. L. GRAFFLIN.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION 0F COAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 20. I917.

Patented July 30,1918.

IN VEIVTOR JbH/v L. GRHFFL/M ,4 ORNE Y JOHN LEWIS GRAZEFLIN, OF ASTORIA, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR msrrnnnmdn or coat.

Specification ofletters Patent Patented July 30, 1918.

Application filed November 20, 1917., Serial No. 203,011.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JOHN L. GRAFFLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Astoria, in the county of Queens, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Distillation of Goal, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings, forming a part hereof.

y invention relates to ap aratus for dry distillation of coal and has or its object to provide an apparatus for the production rom coal relatively rich in volatile hydrocarbons, of a waxy material suitable for use as a lubricant and for other purposes, as well as the production of gas and the byproducts usually carried ofl with the gas in coal distillation and subsequently recovered therefrom by washing or otherwise.

In the ordinary process of coal distilla-' tion it has been customary to heat the retort as highly at its lower side or bottomend as in its upper part with the purpose of producingthe largest ossible amount of gas and volatile by-pro ucts carried by the gas cracking or breaking. p the liquid or semiliquid products of distillation by subjecting them to high heat so as. to leave as little as possible of liquid or semi-liquid material in the form of tar or tarry matter as possible. More or less tar is produced in coal distilla-' tion as ordinarily carried on and is objectionable both because it tends to clog the bottom of the retortand is difficult to get rid of.

By the apparatus of my present invention the liquid or semi-liquid material produced in the process of fistillation is separated from the mass of material being distilled and sufiicient to crack it or break it up into volatile matter capable of'passing off-with the gas, and a tarry residue, with the result that a considerable quantity is produced of a relativel soft waxy material having a low meltmg point without tar or tarry residue.

I obtain this product from the distillation of coal by so arranging the retort that its lowest portion to which the liquid or semiliquid mattersettles by gravity is substantially cooler than the body of the retort so that thismatter when once separated from the coal is ke t at a temperature below that at which crac g or the driving off of other than the lighter volatile matter will take is not subjected after sueh separation to heat openings 7 for the place, and I provide means by which this l1qu1d or semi-liquid matter may be drawn off without discharging the coke or other material remaining in the retort after the distillation is completed. By the construction of the retort am able to avoid'the tendency oft e retort bottom to warp and become distorted so as v to prevent its ready removal and replacement.

bottom in the ap aratus I With the above explained objects and other objects hereinafter explained in view my invention consists in t e constructlon and comblnatlon of elements hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of apparatus embodying my invention adapted-to carry out my process and ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the bottom of the retort on an enlarged scale.

In the drawings '1 indicates the retort here shown as a vertical retort circular in cross section of somewhat larger diameter' at its lower end than at its 11 per end so as to facilitate the discharge 0 the exhausted material. The retort has at its upper end a removable cover 2 held in closed position by the usual clamping means 3 and has near its upper end' an 'ofi'take pipe 21 for the gaseous products of the distillation.

The retort is supported by brick work or other supporting means so arranged as to leave a space or chamber 4 below the lower end of the retort to receive the contents of the retort after the distillation is completed. The brick work or other supporting means fits closely about the lower end of the retort and extends upward closely about the retort or a short distance above its lower end. i bove the point at which this closely fitting brick minates, a space is left between the wall of the retort and the supporting means forming a heating passage or flue 5. At suitable intervals rings 6 extend inward to the wall of the retortthese rings being provided with work or other supporting means ter 1 of line so that the heat-' passage of the heating I roducts of combustion passing from the rebox through flue 11 to the lower end of the heating passage or fiue -5.

By the arrangement shown the heating medium first strikes the retort at a point a point opposite the hinge by a clamping screw 16 of ordinary construction. -The lower end of the retort as shown is provided with a groove 13 for the usual asbestos packing. I s

The bottom 12 is provided on its upper side with posts or projections 17 on which is secured a plate 18 slightly smaller in diam-.

eter than the interior of the retort so as to leave between its edge and the retort wall suflicient space to permit liquid material to flow past the plate into the chamber space between it and the bottom but not to permit the coal or other solid material to pass, this plate being also provided with perforations 19 to permit free passage of the liquid, or semi-liquid material. A'draw off cock 20 is provided in the bottom 12 for drawing off the matter which accumulates between the plate or false bottom 18 and the bottom 12.

This plate or falsebottom-18 is preferably arranged about 15 inches above the bottom. This matter which accumulates between the plate 18 and the bottom is liquid while subjected to the heat of the retort and\flows readily from the cock 20 but-is waxy or semi-solid at ordinary temperatures meltingto liquid form at a low heat, becoming quite soft at 100 degrees F. and forms an excellent lubricant. 1

It will of course be understood that while I prefer to arrange the retort vertically as shown, it may be arranged horizontally in which case the plate or false bottom 18 would extend along the lower portion of the retort and this lower portion would be protected against the'direct heat of the heating medium. It should also be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown particularly as regards the means for holding the cover and bottom of the retort in place as any convenient or usual means may be employed for this purpose.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim is:

1. In apparatus for distilling coal the combination of a retort and means for heatingthe retort arranged to act thereon from a level substantially above the bottom upward, means for protecting the lower portion of the retort from direct action of the heating means, a dumping bottom for the retort, and a false bottom carried by the retort bottom within the portion of the retort protected from direct action of heating means.

2. In apparatus for distilling coal the combination of a retort and means for heating the retort arranged to act thereon from a level substantially above the bottom upward, means for protecting the lower portion of the retort from direct action of the heating means, a dumping bottom for the retort, a false bottom carried by the retort bottom within the portion of a retort protected from direct action of heating means and means for drawing ofi liquid from the space between the bottom and the false bottom. 3. 1n apparatus for distilling coal the' In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 20th day of November 1917.

JOHN LEWIS GRAFFLIN. 

